For years, I wondered what the people wearing red vests on the streets of Brno were selling. Then I finally looked into it—and discovered one of the Czech Republic’s most admirable social projects.
Expat247 note: This article started with a simple question I had after years of living in Brno: “What are those people in red vests actually selling?”
Walking through the streets of Brno, especially around the city centre, I have often come across men and women wearing distinctive vests and trying to sell something written entirely in Czech. Their appearance suggested that they had probably been through difficult times, but beyond that I knew very little about them or what they were offering.
Based on my previous experiences around Europe—and especially in Spain—I initially assumed that they were selling lottery tickets.
Over time, I realised that it was actually a magazine, although I never looked into it much further.
For years, Nový Prostor was simply part of Brno’s urban scenery for me: something I saw regularly without ever stopping to ask what it really was.
Then, as sometimes happens, the story found me rather than the other way around. I started seeing several friends, acquaintances and other expats sharing the news that Nový Prostor was beginning to appear in English too.
And rightly so. The Czech Republic is home to a large international community, and expats are often the kind of people who do not think too much about spending a few extra crowns outside their original budget—particularly when there is a good reason behind it.
That was when I finally discovered that Nový Prostor is not simply a magazine. It is an extraordinarily worthwhile initiative, and one that would deserve to be replicated in other countries—wherever something similar does not already exist.
What exactly is Nový Prostor?
Nový Prostor is a Czech street magazine created not only to publish journalism, but also to provide people experiencing homelessness, social exclusion or other difficult circumstances with an opportunity to earn money.
The organisation has been operating since 1999 and its vendors have become a familiar presence in cities across the Czech Republic, including Brno and Prague.
At first glance, the people selling it may appear to be collecting donations. That is not quite how the system works.
They are selling an actual magazine as part of a structured social project designed to offer work, income and a possible route towards greater stability.
How does the Nový Prostor system work?
The principle behind the project is remarkably simple.
Registered vendors purchase copies of the magazine for a portion of the cover price. They then sell those copies to the public at the full official price and keep the difference as their earnings.
In other words, when you buy Nový Prostor, you are not simply handing someone money. You are purchasing a real product from a person who is working to earn an income.
This distinction is important.
The initiative is not based exclusively on charity or passive assistance. It gives vendors the chance to interact with the public, take responsibility for their sales and make money through their own activity.
More than a magazine
Selling the magazine is only the most visible part of the project.
Behind the red vests, Nový Prostor also provides social support and practical assistance to people who may be dealing with homelessness, poverty, unemployment or exclusion from ordinary working life.
For some vendors, selling the magazine can represent an immediate source of income. For others, it can become a first step towards rebuilding routines, confidence and contact with society.
That is what makes the initiative especially valuable: it acknowledges that the people selling the magazine have faced real difficulties without reducing them to passive recipients of sympathy.
They are vendors. They are working. And the magazine gives them something concrete to sell.
The people in the red vests are part of Brno
Once you begin paying attention, you realise that Nový Prostor vendors are a recognisable part of daily life in Brno.
They tend to appear in busy locations, especially around the city centre, and although they can be fairly itinerant, the same people are often found in roughly the same areas.
One vendor I particularly remember used to stand around Česká, accompanied by some beautiful dogs. Since reconstruction work began in the area, however, I have not seen him there.
It is one of those details that makes you realise how easily people can become part of the landscape of a city. You see them repeatedly, perhaps for years, without ever knowing their name or understanding what brought them there.
Why an English version makes sense
For international residents, the language barrier has always been an obvious limitation.
Even someone willing to buy a copy might reasonably hesitate before purchasing a magazine they cannot read. An English-language version makes Nový Prostor more accessible to Brno’s international community and gives expats another reason to support the project.
The purchase no longer needs to feel like an indirect donation made in exchange for something that will remain unread.
International readers can support the vendor while also discovering the magazine’s journalism, interviews and stories.
In a city with a large and growing expat population, it feels like a logical development—and perhaps one that should have happened even earlier.
I still haven’t bought my first copy—mea culpa
At the time of writing, I still have not bought my first copy of Nový Prostor.
Partly because—mea culpa—for a long time I had not really understood what it was. I simply walked past the vendors assuming that they were selling something that was probably not intended for me.
I am also fairly shy when it comes to stopping strangers in the street and asking them directly what they are doing.
Even after I understood that Nový Prostor was a magazine, there was another fairly obvious obstacle: it was in Czech.
My Czech extends to a modest trochu česky. That may be enough to order a beer, survive a trip to the supermarket or pretend to understand a basic conversation, but it is certainly not enough to read an entire magazine.
So I always ended up walking on.
Now that an English version exists, however, I have far fewer excuses.
The next time I come across one of the familiar Nový Prostor vendors around Brno, I intend to buy a copy. When that happens, I will update this article with my first-hand experience: where I bought it, what the interaction was like, what the magazine contains and whether the English edition is worth reading in its own right.
Should you buy Nový Prostor?
Based on what I have learned about the project, the answer is straightforward: if you are curious and can afford the price of a copy, there is little reason not to.
You are not merely giving away a few crowns.
You are buying a magazine from someone who is working, while supporting a system designed to help people facing serious difficulties regain a degree of independence.
And now, thanks to the English edition, international residents can finally read what they buy too.
Sometimes the most interesting stories in a city are not hidden inside museums, tourist attractions or historical buildings.
Sometimes they are standing on a street corner you have walked past hundreds of times.
Frequently asked questions about Nový Prostor
What is Nový Prostor?
Nový Prostor is a Czech street magazine sold by registered vendors who are experiencing homelessness, social exclusion or other difficult life circumstances. Its purpose is to provide them with an opportunity to work and earn an income.
Is Nový Prostor a charity?
Nový Prostor is a social project rather than a simple charitable collection. Vendors sell a real magazine and retain part of the cover price as their earnings.
Where can I buy Nový Prostor in Brno?
Vendors can often be found in busy areas of central Brno. Their locations are not necessarily fixed, but you may encounter them around places such as Česká, the main railway station, náměstí Svobody and other streets with heavy pedestrian traffic.
How can I recognise an official vendor?
Official Nový Prostor vendors wear a recognisable vest and should carry identification connected to the project. The magazine should be sold at its official cover price.
Is Nový Prostor available in English?
Yes. An English version has been introduced, making the magazine much more accessible to expats, international residents and visitors who do not read Czech.
Does the vendor keep the money?
The vendor purchases copies at a reduced price and sells them at the official cover price. The difference becomes the vendor’s income, while the rest supports the production of the magazine and the wider project.
Can tourists buy it?
Of course. Anyone can buy a copy. It is an easy way to support a meaningful Czech social initiative while learning something about the country beyond its usual tourist attractions.
Have you bought Nový Prostor in Brno?
Have you read the English edition or spoken to one of the city’s vendors? Share your experience with us at expat247.com@hotmail.com. We may use your recommendations to update this article.
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